Ventilation is necessary for most any enclosed structure. Enclosed structures known as residential sheds have a particular need for venting, as they are designed for outdoor placement and, thus, subjected to the elements throughout the year. A residential shed used for storage may not be opened for weeks or even months. Sheds are not designed for receipt of electrical power, so the use of powered fans, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners is not possible.
A sealed enclosure can cause numerous problems, the most noticeable being an excess amount of moisture buildup within the shed, which can accelerate rusting of metal based devices. For instance, a shed can be used to store lawnmowers tractors, bicycles, and so forth. Lack of proper ventilation could cause premature aging of such products, especially internal combustion engines where cylinders can rust. To prevent a tightly sealed enclosure which can result in excess internal condensation taking place, shed manufacturers include spacing within walls, seams, or doors to assure proper ventilation. A problem with simply using spacing to allow ventilation is that, during rain, water can easily enter the shed through the spacing.
In addition to the need for ventilation in a shed, there is also a need for light. A clear piece of plastic can be placed in a roof of a shed, but that does not provide ventilation and may be another source for water leaks.
Passive vents do not include a mechanism for forcing air out of the enclosure. Rather, they simply include a vent structure in the form of an air conduit which allows air flow. Passive vents are well-known and have been extensively used in the past.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,151,068 discloses a shed having a roof panel with an aperture sized to receive a skylight. The skylight compresses a seal to prevent water passage, and a secondary rib on a roof panel prevents water from passing through the skylight aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,008 discloses a passive venting device for venting a building enclosure. The device has a base member having an outer flange for securing the base member to a surface, and a vent structure within the base member for permitting gases and vapors to pass through the base member. The venting device employs a vent structure, including a filter screen, to prevent objects from passing through the base member. A cap member is immovably mounted to the base member and spaced therefrom sufficiently to permit the free flow of air between the cap member and the base member and through the vent structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,952 teaches a static roof vent comprising a base/flange containing an air conduit and a hood. The hood includes a translucent oriel located above the air conduit. However, this device is difficult and expensive to manufacture, in that the central oriel is made from an expensive clear material that must be inserted into specially designed opaque mounts, which in turn are attached to the roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,780 discloses a ventilated skylight having a light transmissive dome. The dome is supported by a support ring, which is initially provided in two halves and must be welded together for use. The support ring is then installed on a soaker tray, which is in turn attached to the roof. Separate ventilation tabs ale inserted into the underside of the light transmissible dome to provide ventilation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,552 discloses a ventilating skylight. The device includes a housing having an opaque top wall. The housing includes front and rear openings through which sunlight may pass when the door to those openings are open. There is further a transparent dividing wall below the openings and parallel to the top wall. The transparent dividing wall has an air flow passage at its center.